Educating Girls in Science and Technology

Improving Education for Girls

in Science and Technology

by Women's Federation for World Peace International

23 February 2011

Speaker: Sachiko Mori
 from Japan, now in Kenya:
Rural Areas - In Kenya have 8 - 2 - 4 - System

Secondary - free tuiition, some parents pay for supplies with farm products

Goal: industrialisation by 2030

Science Education is lacking

SMASSE means Strengthening Mathematics and Science in Secondary School Education

Number of senior students at Handow Secondary School improved from 2 in 1998 to 683 in 2011

Physics biology and chemistry are compulsory

Girls out-performed boys in these sciences

Marakusi Village - 5 brothers and sisters is common

Boys have priority over girls

Situation of girls: gather wood and do other tasks

Attitude of girls to science education: Quotes - We feel more a part of our world; we have hope in building better careers after school

Careers of girls - Nursing, Veterinary officers...

Speaker: Gita Bangera

Microbiologist in Washington, National Science Foundation

"Beyond Access! - Lessons from my American Experience"


Grew up in India, one of six kids, had dream of higher education in the US, came in 1989, had idea that American women had equal rights - "This notion!"

But there are issues - look at Senators, CEOs...

Tries to teach her students what it is like to be a scientist

How do you get students (at the community college) excited about careers in science? Or going into research?
Do the research first - flip it around

Challenge them! They find their strength

Original research that they know will affect real people

Authentic, hands-on research - how little can I tell the students, no textbook, no lectures, but have a library and students figure out how to do the research

Have journal Clubs and Lab Meetings - terrifies students at first but by week 5 they are finding new ways to go about it

Networking

Interaction with world class scientists who come and give talks and give updates on their researchSoon noticed that she had many girls in the class, but they were not sure that they could aim too high and not quite sure they were worth the effort, "yet these young women have had access to education all their lives."
Benefits:

Sense of ownership

Membership in larger project involving real scientists

Pride in belonging to wider scientific community
Impact on Female Students:
Original research evens the playing field, is non-traditional, connects them to the real world

Journal Club helps them overcome a difficult task and raises self-esteem

Student collaboration builds a support network

Networking provides male and female role models
Quotes from female students:

"I never thought frustration could be fun!"

"I've got a much clearer view of what research involves."